Everything Changes
by KaraLJ
Summary: 5 years after the endless roadtrip, several grandkids later, everything changed. In one day, your life can change, and you never really know when today could be your last.
1. Introduction

Introduction:

I sat at the edge of my bed, tears in my eyes, my heart torn between the here and now, and the memories of yesterday. Yesterday, just yesterday, he was alive and well, telling us all how he planned to go on another road trip, now that all the kids were older, all the grandkids now older, all the memories now so new and amazing. Just yesterday, he was telling us how he was so happy to have us all back in Glen Oak, how he was grateful that Matt, with Sarah and their twin boys Micheal and Josiah, Mary, with Carlos and their son Charlie, and their twin daughters Maria and Michelle, Lucy, with Kevin and their daughters Savannah and Grace, Simon and Cecilia, with their daughter Renee, Ruthie and T-Bone and their son Theo, and Sam and David, and me, their adopted daughter, all decided to stay close to home after the news came back three Christmas' ago, that his health had taken a turn for the worse. But when he got better, he was so grateful that we were all here to share the good news together.

Then this morning, this morning that all changed.

**6 AM**

"Katie, answer your phone, it's been ringing all morning," Martin, my boyfriend of 2 years, and the close friend of the Camden family mumbled from his side of the bed. I rolled over, and checked the caller id. It was Kevin. Kevin never called before 8, unless he and Lucy desperately needed a babysitter.

"Hello?" I said tiredly.

"Get dressed. Then come over, meet us at the house, not our house, the house," he said. Something in his tone told me to get up, that it was urgent.

"We'll be right there," I said as I hung up. I pulled the covers off Martin, which made him growl at me. Or grumble. It was too early to tell.

"Get up, there's an emergency" I said sharply as I yanked my brush through my tangled wave of hair.

"Who's dying?" Martin grumbled, as he rolled off the bed.

"Oh, God," I yelped when his words hit home. Suddenly, my stomach launched and I narrowly made it to the bathroom in time.

Rocking back on my heels, I took a shaking breath.

"Morning sickness?" Martin asked, as he came into the bathroom, now fully dressed, holding a glass of water.

"Shut up," I growled as I took the water from him and drank it. I stood up, still a bit off balance. We were only twenty weeks into the pregnancy, but the morning sickness had set in from the very beginning.

Martin helped me pull on my jacket and we let the dogs back in before rushing out the front door. We lived a few houses down from Lucy, so rather than take the car, we decided to detour through their backyard.

We reached the Camden's house just in time to hear the cries of Lucy and Mary.

"What happened?" Martin demanded when he saw the tear-streaked faces of the Camden's, of my family.

"Matt, what happened?" I asked my oldest brother.

"Dad...Dad's..." he tried to explain, but he choked on his tears before he could.

"Matt, what happened?" I demanded, my voice raising an octave.

"Katie...Dad's...Dad's...Gone," Kevin said from across the kitchen, Lucy sobbing into his chest.

"What do you mean Dad's gone?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Dad's dead," Ruthie, my youngest older sister said as he came into the kitchen, Theo in her arms. "Mom couldn't wake him up."

"Excuse me," I gasped as I pressed my hand tightly to my mouth and ran for the bathroom.

I felt Martin come in and sit on the bathroom floor with me. But I didn't really. I felt numb. I felt empty.

"I'm so, so sorry, Katie," he whispered as he pulled me into his arms. I laid there, on the bathroom floor, sobbing into his chest, as my world fell apart for the third time in my 19 years here on earth.

**Noon**

The house was quiet. No one wanted to talk, but no one wanted to leave. The entire family, and their families, were crowded in the house. All the kids, with their wives or husbands, their kids, and their in-laws. I felt small and out of place amongst the siblings I have come to love.

"How are you holding up?" Martin asked as he joined me in the kitchen, where I was filling up a glass of water.

"Eh," I murmured. I sank to the kitchen floor, in the same spot I had spent the entire morning, after having been chased out of the bathroom by the twins.

"You feeling okay? You look pale," Martin said softly as he pushed my hair out of my face.

"Yea, as okay as possible, considering," I said with tears in my eyes.

"I didn't know you were pregnant," Simon said as he walked into the kitchen and saw Martin and I sitting on the floor. He knelt down, letting his daughter reach out her tiny hands to touch my nose.

"Yea, 20 weeks today," I said with a sigh.

"Crap!" Martin suddenly exclaimed.

"What?" I asked tiredly.

"You have a doctors appointment today, we're supposed to find out the sex of the baby," he said, standing suddenly, making at attempt to pull me up with him.

"Martin, I don't care," I said sharply, pulling my arm out of his grip. "The baby doesn't matter anymore."

"Hey, hey, Dad wouldn't want you talking like that," Simon said, as he sat on the floor next to me and pulled me into his arms, with little Renee's tiny hands still exploring my face, as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

"I should have been here. I should have spent the night like he asked," I cried. I felt Simon rub my back, but he said nothing.

"It's not your fault, Kate," Martin said as he knelt down, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You didn't know."

"It does matter, Martin. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of my staying with you when we're not married! He told me that the only reason he was allowing it was because I graduated with honors, and he knew he couldn't object since I'm 19 now, but he didn't approve! I didn't even get to tell him..." I cried bitterly, my entire body shaking.

"Hey, hey, shhh, it's okay, it's all going to be okay," Simon said.

All I could think, was sure, sure it's going to be okay. Yeah right, Dad's dead.

* * *

_A/N - Clearly, I don't own 7th Heaven or any of the characters! Everything Changes is a fanfic, taking place in current time - meaning 5 years after the series finale. _

_As for all the 'mary sue' haters out there, let me just clarify that 'Katie' is not a Mary Sue, not in the least bit. You'll find out how she became a Camden later in the story, but I promise, she is not the perfect character, and actually, she has traits of many of the actual series' "House Guests" all wrapped up into one oc.  
_

_I hope you enjoy! And c'mon, let's be real, we all thought Eric was going to die before the series ended!  
_


	2. Chapter 1 Changes

Chapter 1 : Changes

**3 weeks later**

"Has she said anything about the baby?" Matt asked Martin. They thought I couldn't hear them. They always acted as if I wasn't there. Maybe it was because I wasn't, not really. But still. I heard. I heard them talk every day, as if I were invisible.

"She went for her sono, but she refused to let me in the room, I don't know, Matt, she hasn't said a word since your dad...well you know," Martin said. His voice was soft, but I could hear the frustration.

"I think she's just grieving in her own way, Martin. Come on, she lost too many people in her life, cut her some slack," Matt said softly.

"I know that, but it's my child too, I deserve to know if it's okay, and what it is," he said with a sigh.

"Have you tried talking to her?" Matt asked.  
"Obviously," Martin snapped.

**4 weeks later (7 weeks after Eric's death)**

"She still hasn't said a word," Martin told Matt early one Wednesday morning.

"Maybe you should check her into the hospital or something. This has been hard on everyone, but she's the only one who doesn't seem to be dealing. Even Lucy's coping," Matt said with a yawn.

"I couldn't do that to her. She hates hospitals," Martin sighed.

I got out of bed, tired of laying there, as if I couldn't hear everything they were saying. It was bad enough that Martin insisted that I stayed at the house until I was ready to deal with everything, much less have him talk about me behind my back. I pulled on one of Matt's old hoodies, mine currently in the wash, and pulled my hair into a loose bun, letting the tangled waves get even more tangled. I let my hands fall to my stomach, and sighed softly as I opened the door wide enough to get out.

"Katie, I didn't know you were awake," Martin said as she came over to hug me. I pushed past him and as I was about to walk down the stairs, I decided against it. It was time for me to say what I needed to say.

"Martin, you walk around here, talking about me as if I was the one who died. You act like I can't hear what you're saying. I can, trust me, I can. I get it, you lost your mom, but that is _nothing_ compared to what I'm dealing with. Before Dad found me, I was trying to get by on nothing, _nothing _Martin. My family was killed in that fire. That fire took my entire family from me, in one night. Now, I lost the only father I ever knew. The only man to ever care enough to call me his own. That, that I can't just deal with. Not after already losing so much," I said, then groaned as my stomach flipped. I pushed past the two awestruck men before me, and slammed the bathroom door with more force than I intended to.

I sank to the floor and let my head rest against the cool porcelain bathtub. I let my mind wander to what the doctor had said about our baby, the gender, the weight, the due date. I let the thought of being a mother for the first time ease the hole in my heart.

I still couldn't believe that Martin and I were expecting a baby. He was five years older than me, though I hadn't know that when we first met. He had a six year old son with Sandy, who he saw every other weekend. I vaguely recall meeting Sandy, but up until the funeral, I hadn't taken the time to really know her. I didn't want to.

"Kate, can I come in?" Martin asked from the other side of the door.

I thought for a moment, before saying he could. He entered and sat next to me, pulling me into his arms. I guess I got lucky. Unlike Sandy, I got Martin.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry," he whispered as he kissed the top of my head.

"Me too," I said softly, then groaned as morning sickness took hold again.

The best thing about Martin, was that he had no problem holding my hair out of my face.

"Better?" He asked after several minutes, while I was brushing my teeth.

"Yeah," I said, then turned to face him. "Martin, it's a girl," I said softly, my voice barely audible.

"Really?" He asked, tears filling his eyes.

"Yes. I was thinking, we could name her Nikole Erica Lynn, after my biological mother, your mother, and the Camdens," I said softly.

"That's a beautiful name, but I thought you were going to name her after Lucy and Simone if we had a daughter?" Martin asked.

"I was, but we'll have other children. And if we don't, I'll get a dog to name after my sisters and brothers. The biological and adoptive," I said with a smile.

"I haven't seen you smile in weeks," Martin said lightly.

"I haven't had much to smile about," I said sadly, as I took his hand and led the way out of the bathroom.

"Mom?" I called from the top of the stairs, not sure if she was downstairs or not.

"Yes?" She called from the kitchen.

"Is everyone coming over for dinner tonight?" I asked as I walked down the stairs.

"Yes, probably," she said, then turned, and gasped. "Katie, I thought you were Ruthie," she stammered.

"It's okay. I surprised Matt and Martin too. I'm okay, really," I said with a soft smile.

"Well it's good to have you back. Why were you asking if everyone was coming to dinner?" She asked.

"Because I have an announcement about the baby," I said.

"Oh?"

"I'll tell everyone at dinner," I smiled.

"Does Martin know?" she asked.

"He knows some of it, I'm telling him everything at dinner too," I said, as I turned to grab the leashes from the table. "I'm going to take the dogs out, do you want me to take Happy too?"

"Simon already came by to walk Happy, so no, be careful though," my mother said with a smile. She then came and hugged me, before moving so my two dogs, Hero and Gracie could be clipped to the leashes.

As I was leaving, I vaguely heard Martin ask "What did she mean by that? I only know some of it? She told me the sex of the baby..."

I smiled to myself as I closed the front door. For the first time in nearly two months, I was feeling normal, or at least, relatively normal again.


	3. Chapter 2 Mama I'm Coming Home

Chapter 2 : Mama I'm Coming Home

I walked Gracie and Hero around the block, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. I smiled as I let Hero take more lead, Gracie running circles around us. She rarely had to be on a leash anymore, the small collie mix just barely bigger than Happy, never strayed farther than four or five feet ahead, before circling back to 'herd' Hero and I forward. Hero, my 10 year old German Shepherd had saved my from the fire that killed my family, was a different matter. Though trained and obedient, he was always eager to make new friends, and had a habit for crossing streets without looking.

"Good Morning, Kate, it's good to see you out and about, how are you?" one of the neighbors, whose name I couldn't remember, asked as he got his paper from his front step.

"Quite well, all things considered, yourself?" I asked.

"The same, the same," he replied before closing his door.

I pulled Hero's leash in, and whistled softly for Gracie, who eagerly ran to my heels. I removed Hero's leash as soon as we were in the safety of the backyard, and picked up his old, ratty tennis ball, his favorite toy. I tossed it aside, and laughed as he ran after it, still a puppy at heart.

"Stay," I told them as I walked into the backdoor, leaving the dogs to frolic to their hearts content.

"Kate?" Martin called the moment he saw me come inside. I turned and smiled softly, before going to him, letting him wrap his arms around me.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you too," he said before pulling away. "Why do you want everyone together for dinner tonight?"

"Not everyone, just my brothers and sisters, mom, and you," I said with a laugh. "Kevin's cooking for the in-laws and children," I added.

"Oh, well, what don't I know?" He asked.

"You'll find out later, just like everyone else," I replied.

"You know, it's not right to hide stuff from me," he whined. I put my arms around his neck, and kissed his nose softly.

"Oh, but it is," I chided.

"Katie," he groaned as I kissed his nose again. He pulled me close, before moving towards the stairs.

"Ah, no, not here," I giggled as I pulled away. "Anyway, I have to take a shower," I added with a wink.

"Tease," he said in a hushed tone.

"Go down to the batting cages, I'll see you later," I said with a laugh. He looked at me for a second, then nodded.

"Two can play this game, I have a surprise for you tonight too," he said with a laugh as he turned to leave. Suddenly, I was the one looking dumbfounded.

"Hey! No surprises for the mommy to be! I have surprises!" I yelled after him.

I turned then, and nearly had a heart attack when I saw Sam and David on the stairs.

"How much did you see?" I asked the 13 year old twins.

"Nothing, we swear!" David said with a laugh.

"Good, but don't swear," I said out of habit. Dad used to say that to me all the time.

I moved past them and headed for the attic bathroom – I knew better than to use the one on the second floor. Though only Sam and David, and Ruthie, T-Bone and baby Theo still lived at home, I knew the bathroom was almost always in demand.

I enjoyed a hot shower, before searching the closet for something to wear. My favorite dress hung on a hanger in the back, right next to me favorite pair of jeans. I thought for a moment, before picking the dress. I held it up, and sighed, seeing that it was finally too small for my ever expanding baby belly.

"Hey Ruthie?" I called from the top of the stairs, my pink robe wrapped tightly around me.

"Yea?" she replied, coming to the foot of the stairs.

"Do you still have that red dress you wore when you were pregnant with Theo?" I asked.

"Yea, it's hanging up in the closet, why?"

"Can I barrow it?"

"I guess, hang on, I'll get it," she said as she turned and swiftly walked to her room. She returned a moment later holding a beautiful red dress, similar to the one I had planned to wear.

"Thanks," I said with a smile. Thankfully, she had bought the dress later in her pregnancy, so it was the perfect size for me.

I dressed quickly, and settled to let my wavy hair fall loosely around my shoulders. I looked in the mirror, and smiled softly, my hand falling to the white gold locket that I had been given on my 13th birthday.

"Mom, I wish you could be here to see this," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. Then I looked at the silver bracelet, a gift from Eric...Dad. "You too dad, I miss you so much," I added.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, and sat on the bed. I fingered the flowered comforter, and looked around the spacious room. Annie had offered to let Martin and I take the attic when we moved back in, no matter how temporary that arrangement was, but I graciously refused, feeling safer in the room that had once been Matt's, then Simon's, then the twins. Now, aside from the closets, Ruthie had the attic. She had her clothes in our room's closet, and us in hers, for the fact that it was just easier, since I had taken a liking to her bathroom.

I looked at the clock in disbelief. I couldn't believe it was already 6. Either the day flew, or I had just been moving in slow motion. Whatever the case, I got up, and headed downstairs.

"There you are!" Simon laughed as he came and gave me a hug. I hugged him back, then made it a point to mess up his hair. He had let it grow out these last few years, and it always seemed to be messy. He swatted playfully, but let me get away with it.

Somewhere over these last three years, Matt, Simon, and I had formed a special bond. I was closest to Ruthie, who was only 2 and a half years older than I was, but I was unbelievably close to my two older brothers.

"Martin called, he'll be here in about 5 minutes," Lucy informed me. I smiled warmly in her direction, grateful, that for tonight, her husband was entertaining all the in-laws and kids. I loved the large family, but tonight's news was for close relatives, not the entire Camden – Kinkirk – Glass – Rivera – Alan flock.

* * *

When we were all seated around the dining room table, I realized that all eyes were on me. I blushed as I took Martin's hand, a little nervous about the news.

"Everyone has been taking guesses at the sex of the baby, so I guess I'll start with that," I said lightly. I looked at Martin before adding "And Martin already knows, so,"

"Boy or girl?" Sam asked, a silly grin on his face.

"Girl – which we've decided to name after our parents; Nikole Erica Lynn," I said with a smile. "However, little Nikki is also going to have two big brothers and a younger sister," I added. Martin looked at me, his eyes wide. "We're having quadruplets!"

The cheers were louder than I had expected, the laughter even louder.

Once the noise died down, I looked at Martin, who was both smiling and pale.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

"H-how in the name of - " he started.

"A miracle. A tiny, quadruple sized miracle. I found out a couple of weeks after I learned I was pregnant, when I went in to find out why I looked so big. I didn't say anything because I was afraid to jinx it, and lose them all, what with the history of miscarriages in my family" I said. "Are you against naming the boys after my brothers?" I asked as an after thought.

"Not at all," he said with a light laugh.

"Baby A I want to name Jeffery Samuel-David, after my oldest and youngest brothers, and Baby B, Ryan Tyler, since Ryan is a popular middle name, amongst both my families, and Tyler, since that's your middle name Martin," I said. I smiled at Simon, who gave me a sad look. "Simon, baby D is going to be named Simone Riley, after you and my two sisters," I added with a laugh. Martin and I had decided on that name early on, before Eric died.

"Wow, I'm, well I'm surprised," Annie said with a laugh. "You both really want to name your children after us?"

"Yes, mom, you and the rest have been the best part of my life – I couldn't imagine naming our children anything else," I said wholeheartedly. "Nikki, Jeff, Ryan, and Simone will be the luckiest quads ever born."

"The birth rate is so low though," Matt mused, then looked up, embarrassed that I had heard him.

"I know, Dr. Stone has already warned me that Simone and Jeff are the smallest, and may not survive. He actually advised not to name the babies yet. But what the hey, I'm not going to let 'what if' or 'what about' keep me from enjoying the last 13 weeks of my pregnancy...rather, the last 4. Dr. Stone said the odds are good that the babies will be premature. But he also said that as it looks, thought Simone and Jeff are small, that all babies seem to be developing quite well," I said. I looked over at Martin, who still looked in shock. "Breathe, Martin, I love you," I whispered.

"I um...Marry me," he stammered.

"Come again?" I asked, not quite sure if I heard him correctly.

Martin then did the unthinkable. The one thing I had hoped for, yet never dreamed to expect.

He took my hand, and got down on one knee, in front of the entire family, pulled a beautiful ring from his coat pocket, and said,

"Katie Marie Young-Camden, I have loved you since the first moment I laid my eyes on you, your kindness and love is unconditional, limitless, and never ending. Your passion, your grace, cannot be put into words. I love you more than anything in this world. Do me the honors of marrying me?"

"_Yes_"

* * *

_AN:_  
A few things to clarify.

Yes, I'm aware of the very unlikely odds that any woman can conceive quads naturally, and though rare, it has happened. And in all reality, we all recall how strange 7th Heaven was with the births - look at all the kids having Twins except Simon and Ruthie (next to the twins of course)!

As for the naming of the children - I had to make up middle names - we never learned them, so hey, why not.

Lastly, though everything is fastpaced right now, everything slows down in the next chapter - I had to speed things along to keep it from being like New Moon, with empty pages of pointless, wordless weeks. :)

As always, I'd love to hear from you! Suggestions? Guesses? Catch a typo of mine?

SN: Kate is currently 27 weeks pregnant, the normal pregnancy for quads is only 31 weeks - then the babies spend around a month in the hospital. Just saying. I did do my research.

Byeeee!


	4. Chapter 3 Home Sweet Home

Chapter 3 : Home Sweet Home

"I can't believe you convinced Mom to let you move back in with Martin," Simon said as he moved the fourth crib for the umpteenth time. "And I can't believe you've set both nurseries up, all while staying off your feet."

"I bent the rules. The doctor said stay off my feet, not stay in bed. So I like the wheelchair. At least I can see what you guys are doing then," I laughed as I pointed to the far wall. "Simone's crib is supposed to be over there," I added.

Martin had had someone come in to help remodel the house, so that the two nurseries could be joined by sliding doors, much like the two rooms at the Camden's, which would make for easier access when they quads come home, after their birth. At first, I was going to have one girl and one boy in each room, but Martin pointed out that as they got older, they'd want to change rooms, so it made more sense to paint one nursery pink, the other blue, so the boys had one, the girls another. He then went out, with help from Lucy, Mom, and Sarah, to buy all the things we could possibly need.

Simon moved Simone's crib for the last time, then turned and smiled. "Better?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, it's perfect now," I said, then smiled as one of the babies kicked me, as if to say they agreed.

"How many more weeks?" he asked, nodding at my bulging stomach.

"This is week 31. Dr. Stone said that if I can keep from going into labor for another two or three weeks, all four babies will stand a better chance. So fingers crossed. But in retrospect, the babies could come any day now. Which is why Martin doesn't let me stay home alone," I said. I looked at my older brother and smiled. "How's Cecilia and Renee?" I asked.

"They're both doing well. Renee turned four a few days ago," he said. "Oh, and Mary wanted to let you know that Charlie, Maria, and Michelle miss you horribly," he added.

"I miss them too. And Savannah and Grace, and Micheal and Josiah. I only ever see Theo now, because Ruthie brings him over," I replied.

"I know. Can you believe that all the twins are turning 5 this year? And Savannah and Charlie are turning 7? It's crazy how old they all are. At least Theo and the Quads will only be a year apart," Simon said.

"Yeah, hah, it's weird referring to them at 'The Quads' but boy, they are a mouthful to say," I laughed. "Ooh, ouch,"

"What?" Simon asked, at my side instantly.

"Contraction, but it's nothing, they're still not close enough together to worry," I said. I let my hand fall to my stomach, as I prayed as hard as I could not to go into labor just yet. I wanted the babies to be born no sooner than 33 or 34 weeks. My doctor had no faith that that would be possible, but he agreed that inducing labor before that point was not the best idea.

"You okay?" Simon asked.

"Yeah, yea, I'm good," I said. "But I am tired, mind wheeling me into the bedroom?" I asked.

"Sure thing,"

Once in bed, I fell asleep instantly, exhausted from all the baby planning.

* * *

"Hey, wake up," a voice called from beside me. I opened my eyes a crack, then all the way, a smile forming on my lips.

"Hey, Martin," I said softly, moving my hands so I could take his.

"How was your nap?" he asked.

"Good, good," I said truthfully. "How was work?"

"It was good, but I was glad when Simon called. He needed to get Renee, I guess Cecilia had to work," he said, then came closer and gave me a kiss. "How are my favorite boys and girls doing?"

"They're kicking like crazy, and I had a couple contractions earlier, but so far, so good," I said.

"That's great. Are you ready for your appointment? Remember, Dr. Stone said he'd make a final decision today, as to if you can deliver naturally, or if a c-section was the better option,"

"I totally forgot, yeah, I'm ready, or I will be, I have to pee," I laughed. Martin helped me to my feet, then helped me to the bathroom which was just steps from our bedroom.

"Martin?" I called a few moments later.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Um..." I started, then gasped and bit back a cry as pain rippled through my body. "It's time."

* * *

They tell you that giving birth will be the most painful experience you'll ever encounter. Yet they tell you that the sight of your newborn will ease that pain, and you'll forget it almost instantly. I only wish that I could say that was true in my case.

"I hate you!" I screamed as I pushed once last time, my hand squeezing tightly at Martin's. Martin kept repeating that he loved me, that I could do this, coaching me along with Annie and Matt, who were at my other side, Matt's hand turning purple from the force of my squeezing, Annie wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Just one more push Kate, just one more and you'll be done," Matt kept chanting. I had been in labor for almost 32 hours. Thankfully, the first three babies were all born the same day, the fourth now on her way.

"I can't!" I cried, exhausted from the three prior births.

"Katie, you have to keep pushing. Simone is right there, she's so close, come on, baby, I know you can do this," Martin said. I took a deep breath, and pushed with all I had.

"Congratulations!" Dr. Stone said as he let me see my fourth baby for the first time. Though it was a quick glance, because she, like her older brothers and sister, had to be rushed to the NICU, it still made all the pain, and those long hours well worth it.

"Simone Riley Brewer, welcome to the world," I whispered as they rushed her out of the room.

I closed my eyes for a moment, and concentrated on breathing. My heart was pounding, and my body felt worse than it did after the fire. It felt like I had been thrown from an airplane and landed on a pile of rocks.

"You did good," Martin whispered in my ear before kissing my forehead.

"How's your hand?" I asked him. "I didn't just end your baseball career, did I?"

"It's fine. I think Matt took the worst of it – you clawed his hand up pretty good," Martin chuckled. I opened my eyes and looked up at my oldest brother, who was smiling widely.

"You're strong, little sis, but my hand will be fine," he said before hugging me. "How do you feel?"

"Tired, really, really tired," I admitted. That was when Annie took my hand from Martin's.

"Get some rest. We'll see you in the morning," she said brightly.

"Wait, what time is it?" I asked.

"It's almost midnight. You were in labor for a total of 32 and a half hours," Annie said. "I still can't believe you delivered all four of them naturally!"

"It was the plan. I didn't want a c-section, unless it was absolutely necessary," I said with a smile.

"And no epidural!" Matt laughed. "I don't know how you did it!"

"I love my babies, and my body, and my _fiancé_ . I wasn't about to change the plans, just because tiny Simone wanted to be born 12 hours after her big brother Jeff!" I laughed.

I later learned that Jeffery Samuel-David was born at 11:32 am, Ryan Tyler at 3:45 pm, Nikole Erica-Lynn at 6:30 pm, and Simone Riley at 11:49 pm. I was thrilled with that news, because all four babies remained in the order they were named in, and both my boys were older brothers to their sisters. Which was exactly what I hoped for – though I never thought all four would be born in the same day.

* * *

The following morning, I was told the state of each newborn. Jeffery was born at a whole 3 pounds, 3 ounces, Ryan weighed in at 4 pounds, 8 ounces, Nikole weighed 4 pounds even, and tiny Simone weighed only 3 pounds. The boys have proven to be the strongest of the quads, and are in fact identical, whereas Nikki and Simone are not identical to each other, nor their older brothers. Though tiny in size both girls were fighting, and proving to be stronger than expected.

Despite Jeffery being the second smallest, he was also the strongest of the newborns.

"I want to see them," I moaned later that day.

"Not yet," Dr. Stone said lightly. He had insisted that I take a few days to recover, before seeing the quads. From what Martin had said, it was hard seeing our tiny miracles hooked to machines and tubes, and Dr. Stone was familiar with my emotional instability, and didn't want to set me up for failure.

"I just want to know they're all okay," I moaned.

"They're all doing quite well, Kate, despite my predictions a few weeks ago. I'm thrilled to say that you have proven me wrong," he said brightly. "Your babies will be just fine. We were lucky, all four's lungs were developed, and they all have strong heartbeats."

"Do you know when I can bring them home?" I asked eagerly.

"Probably a month for the bigger two, but between two and three for the two smallest. And that is only if there are no further complications," Dr. Stone described.

He then went into detail on what could potentially happen to my tiny miracles. I tuned him out, letting my thoughts wander to the years ahead.


	5. Chapter 4 Because of You

Chapter 4 : Because of You

**Week 1**

"Martin let the dogs out, please!" I called from the upstairs bathroom. I heard Gracie barking, but didn't hear Martin let her out. "Martin!"

"Give me a minute, would you? I'm just waking up!" He called back from the bedroom. I had thought he was downstairs.

"Sorry! Boy, you're cranky this morning!"

"You tossed and turned all night, I barely slept, cut me some slack," he grumbled as he unlatched the baby gate in front of the stairs. Though the babies were still in the hospital, I was training both dogs to get used to sleeping downstairs, rather than up in one of the several bedrooms.

I heard the back door open, and the sound of tiny claws scratching at the kitchen floor. I smiled to myself, despite Martin's attitude, he was really maturing.

I pulled on a clean pair of jeans, and put my hair up in a messy bun, before joining him in the kitchen.

"What's the plan for today?" he asked as he sat a cup of coffee down in front of me.

"We can spend the morning at the hospital with the babies, then head over to Lucy's to pick up the last of the baby shower gifts. I feel so bad keeping them stored in their garage," I said as I took a sip.

"Sounds good. I have work tonight, but I'm free all day," he agreed.

"I just can't wait to have them home. I hate the thought of them not being with me every day," I murmured. Martin came over and put his arms around my shoulders, before kissing the top of my head.

"They'll be home soon," he promised.

Later that morning, we were both dressed in the salmon pink, garbage bag like outfits, watching our tiny babies breathe. Simone had gotten a lot stronger, and was now breathing as strongly as her older siblings. Only Ryan was strong enough to take a bottle, his siblings still forced to use a feeding tube.

"Would you like to hold Ryan?" the nurse asked me when she saw me watching my precious son.

"Can I?" I asked, a smile crossing my face.

"Yes, you can. The doctor would like to talk to you and Martin afterward though," she said. She turned to the incubator, and gently lifted my second-born son. After I had sat down, Martin at my side, she handed the tiny baby to me, wrapped tightly in a pale blue blanket.

Holding my son for the first time brought tears to my eyes. I almost didn't want to let him go, when Martin insisted on holding him.

In that moment, I forgot about everything and everyone else in the world. To me, the only people in the NICU was my tiny son and me.

* * *

"Miss Camden, as you know, we were discussing possible complications before the babies were born," Dr. Stone started, his voice emotionless.

"Yes?" I said, my heart suddenly dropping. I felt Martin squeeze my hand, though he remained silent.

"Well last night, we had a little scare with Jeffery. He stopped breathing for a few moments, and his heart rate dropped rapidly. We managed to stabilize him, but we need your consent to run further tests, to make sure there is not an underlying problem with his heart," he continued. "And though Simone is improving rapidly, her sister is taking a turn in the opposite direction. She's lost 5 ounces since Monday, and we're concerned that that may be due to a viral infection."

"What...What does that mean?" I asked.

"Right now, we're not entirely sure, but we're going to be keeping a close eye on all of them for the next few weeks. On a brighter note, Ryan is stronger than we had dared to hope. If he continues to improve, he'll be able to go home in a few weeks," Dr. Stone said, as he tried to lighten the mood.

"Wait, are you telling us that we might lose two of the babies?" Martin asked suddenly. I glared at him, then turned back to the doctor.

"Remember, we talked about this before they were born, Martin. Considering Katie's age, and size alone, it was a miracle that all four were born. Right now, we have to take things one baby at a time, one day at a time," he replied.

"I-I can't do this," Martin said suddenly. He turned without another word, and stormed out of the small office.

"Thank you," I whispered, before rushing after him.

"Martin!" I yelled as I half ran out into the parking lot. Martin was leaning over our car, his shoulders shaking. I realized that he was crying almost instantly.

I went to his side, and wrapped my arms around him. I pulled him towards me, turning him so he was facing me.

"Everything's going to be okay, Martin, I promise," I said.

"How do you know?" he cried.

"Because God won't let anything happen to our babies," I said simply. I opened the passenger side door and gave him a light nudge, before walking around to the driver's side.

* * *

That night, we got a call that would change our lives, and our relationship _forever_.


	6. Chapter 5 Highway To Hell

Chapter 5 : High Way To Hell

"It's too early to be driving," I muttered as I pulled Martin's hoodie tighter. I yawned and tried to keep my eyes open, as the time on the dash read only 2 in the morning.

"I'm too tired to be driving," Martin yawned, his eyes half closed. I punched his arm, causing him to jump.

"Stay awake. The hospital's only a few blocks away, but let's not get in a car accident on the way there," I said tiredly. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and dialed Lucy's cell again.

"Hey you've reached Lucy, leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can," her voice mail message rang.

"Luce, it's Katie, call me when you get up, okay?" I said before hanging up.

Once at the hospital, Martin parked the car, and quickly came to my side, holding the door for me as I tiredly got out. We held onto each other as we made our way through the hospital, barely taking in our surroundings. Once we got to Dr. Stone's office, we sat down in silence as he went over the news.

At around midnight, Jeffery had suddenly stopped breathing, but the on call doctor was there and was able to stabilize him, for the time being. Tiny Simone also took a turn for the worse, when her heart suddenly stopped, and she had to be rushed in for emergency surgery.

"So you're telling us that we might lose two of our babies?" Martin asked, his voice sharper than he intended.

"Yes, I'm telling you to prepare for the worse. Simone and Jeff are in critical condition right now, we can only let time tell what will happen now. Nikole and Ryan are stronger, but still very weak," Dr. Stone explained.

I felt as if my head was going to explode. How could this even be possible? How could all four of my babies be so fragile, so close to death, before they've even had a chance to live? How would I live with losing one, if not all of them before I even got a chance to get to know them?

What had I done to deserve such a punishment?

* * *

6 AM

"Katie, wake up," Martin said as he pushed me softly. I rolled over, and saw his tear streaked face.

"Which one?" I asked. We had spent the night on cots in one of the empty hospital rooms, to be close to the babies in case anything happened. I could tell by the sick look on Martin's face, that something had.

"Jeffery..." he whispered. "He died at 5:56 this morning,"

I closed my eyes and prayed that it was a dream. Deep in my heart, I knew it wasn't.

We sat there, holding each other as tight as possible, both sobbing for the loss of our first born son.

* * *

Later that day, Simone's heart failed, as she was pronounced dead, only six hours after her older brother. Nikole passed shortly after, from heart failure.

As news reached us, Martin nor I were able to handle the news, despite both of our families being there to comfort us. We had lost three of our four children, in less than twenty-four hours.

* * *

Silence. That's what fills these walls now. Silence, hate, and remorse. We don't speak, we don't even look at one another. We barely move.

We refuse to answer the phone, in fear that it's bad news. We don't answer the door, we don't turn on the tv.

It's almost as if we're dead too.

Maybe we are.

* * *

AN:: Sorry for the long wait! I switched computers, and lost this chapter before I even finished it. I know it's short and I know it's extreme, but trust me, it was necessary.

as always, reviews are nice! :)


	7. Chapter 6 Angel

Chapter 6 : Angel

**Week 4**

"Katie, you can't not go to the hospital, you used to visit the babies every day," Kevin said late one morning, as he let Gracie and Hero back inside. Kevin was helping out with the dogs, since I was hardly functioning these days.

"That was when my babies were all okay," I retorted. "Nothing is okay anymore. Martin barely speaks to me, and everyone's walking on eggshells when they're here."

"That's because they know you're hurting. They were the same way when Lucy and I lost the twins," Kevin said gently. He sat on the bed next to me, and put an arm around my shoulders. "Nothing hurts more than losing a child,"

I looked at him, my eyes full of tears, my heart pounding in my chest. "I lost them all. I lost them all and there was nothing I could do to save them," I sobbed. He pulled me close, and held me, as I cried into his chest.

"You didn't lose Nikki," Kevin reminded me.

"It feels like I did. They won't even let me bring her home," I cried.

* * *

"It's good to see you again, Kate," Dr. Stone said late that Wednesday. "I am so sorry for your loss, but I have some good news," he added.

"Shoot," I said lightly. Martin refused to come to the hospital with me. On the rare occasion that I actually spoke with him when he was home, he had told me that it was too hard to come to the hospital with me, what with me always crying when I watched our other children sleep.

"If you are feeling up to it, by the end of the week, Nikole will be able to come home," he said happily.

"That's...great," I muttered.

"You know, we do have support groups for families who have lost newborns – if you're interested, I can set you up with the councilors," he suggested.

"My sister is a minister, _and_ she's lost a baby – two actually, before. If I need to talk, I can talk to her," I growled.

"I understand, but -," he started.

"I don't need a shrink."

"Alright, but I would feel more comfortable letting you take Nikole home, if I knew where your head was," he sighed.

"My head is full of sorrow and hatred right now, but when I see my daughter, my heart fills with warmth and love, I'd never hurt my baby," I snapped.

"Alright, alright," he caved.

* * *

"Martin!" I called when I got home. The house was quiet, too quiet. "Martin?"

Gracie ran up to me, her tail between her legs. She whined, then darted into the kitchen. I followed her, and noticed a note taped to the fridge.

_Kate,  
I love you, I truly do, but losing our sons and daughter made me realize, that I'm not ready to be a father. I haven't seen Aaron in over a year, so I decided to go to New York and visit him and Sandy. Maybe I'll be back in time to welcome Nikki home, but I doubt it. Don't try to call me, right now, I don't want to hear from you. _

_ - Martin_

I reread the note several times, before reaching for the phone, tears rolling down my cheeks, my heart shattering.

"Hello?"

"Simon, I need you," I cried.

* * *

"I'm going to, I don't even know," Simon yelled, pacing back and forth, while Matt and Kevin sat next to me on the sofa, one of each side.

"You're not going to do anything, but I sure as heck am," Kevin retorted.

"I can't believe he'd even think to do something like this, at a time like this!" Matt growled.

"Guys, none of you are going to do anything. He's a grown man, if he wants to leave me to raise our child alone, fine, I have a village behind me, I never needed a _man_ to keep me going," I sighed. "Where's Luce?" I asked Kevin.

"On her way. Mary and Sarah agreed to watch all the kids. Mom, Lucy and Ruthie are on their way over," Kevin said.

"Good."

"Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry!" Mom said as soon as she walked through the door. "But don't you worry, me and your brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews and brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws are going to be right here to help you!"

"It's okay mom, I knew it was going to happen, as soon as they told us that...that, well you know, I knew he was going to run. I'm too emotional, I'm too hard for him to handle," I muttered.

"You are not! You have every right to cry!" Lucy exclaimed. "You went through the hardest thing a first time parent, or any parent for that matter, could go through."

"I know, but I never stopped to think how hard it must be on him, on Martin. It's my fault he's gone," I said, tears in my eyes.


End file.
